Jay Ellis Reveals What It Takes To Attract His Attention & We’re All Ears [EXCLUSIVE]

His smiling smirk sends heat down your spine and tints your cheeks in crimson. Jay Ellis is a hearthrob and I haven’t used that term since junior high school when I would scribble Leonardo DiCaprio’s name along with mine and “always and forever” all over my notebooks. But hearthrob is 100% appropriate for Jay Ellis–sexy star of BET’s “The Game,” amateur, yet amazing chef and Pilates instructor.

I’m sure Jay’s been many a women’s #MCM, including mine. So wouldn’t it be nice to know what he likes in a woman, if he’s reading your thirsty social media comments and what he would cook to seduce you? Well then you’ve come to the right place girl. Jay dished on all of those things and more in our exclusive interview that had me feeling like I was on a first date. Beauties, I’m in love and you will be too!

HelloBeautiful: What do you think about being a heartthrob?

Jay Ellis: I don’t know if I’ve ever thought about it. I think it’s the first time I’ve ever heard my name and heartthrob in the same sentence. I try to stay away from a lot of it. I’m out meeting people and they watch the show. But, I try to stay away from reading some of the comments and reading all of that stuff. I think I’m in my own little bubble hiding and I try not to think about it. It’s an honor, if you will. It’s really an amazing thing. I’m very happy that’s what people think.

HB: You never check out your Instagram comments or what your followers say to you?

JE: If you look through my Instagram, you’ll see the day I found out that I could reply to people. Literally, this just happened two weeks ago. I didn’t know you could comment back to people. I’ve had Instagram for two and a half years and I literally found out two weeks ago, I was in New York for upfronts and someone was like, “You never reply to my comments” and I was like, “I don’t know how to reply to your comments, I’m sorry.” I’ve started to reply back. It’s a fun interaction for sure.

I’ll say ‘thank you,’ or ‘good joke’ or ‘good nickname.’ I’ll get collages. I’ll have colleges where it’ll be Kira’s (Lauren London’s “The Game” character) body, but some other girl’s face. It would be a scene of me and Kira kissing and they’ll put their face in Lauren’s face. I’ll comment on stuff like that. I don’t get into the comments that much. I try to stay away from them, ya know?

HB: What do you love the most about women?

JE: I love how sensual women are. How strong women are. I love a sexy and proud, but confident sexy, like you just woke up and brushed your teeth. Simple, easy.

JE: When I was growing up, my parents went back and forth. It wasn’t ever in a negative way, but it was a competition to see who had the best meal of the week. It was one of those things where my mom would be like, “you like that, don’t you?” and my dad would be like, “Oh, ok, I got you.” He would do his thing. For whatever reason, I observed that behavior and soaked it in. So, I enjoyed being in the kitchen.

I would do a tiramisu for dessert. I would do a baked white fish. A little lemon, a little basil and then probably a little side spring salad with a homemade vinaigrette.

HB: What’s the one dish you stick with to keep it sexy for a date?

JE: I don’t know because I get in there [laughs]. One of my favorite things to do is the eggplant lasagna where you use the eggplant as the layers of the lasagna. It’s actually one of my favorites.

HB: What kind of boyfriend would you describe yourself as?

JE: Down for the cause. I’m loyal, attentive, for sure. One of the things is I am often pulled in many directions just because of work, so I would also say very busy.

HB:What is the best way for a woman to get your attention?

JE: I think to be simple, to be easy. So much of what I do is theatrics played on a screen, so for me, in real life, easy and simple always catches me. When a woman walks up to you and says, “it’s nice to meet you and then walks away,” I almost break my neck every single time. I’m like, “wait, wait, where are you going?” It’s something that’s so simple and confident and powerful and attractive and sexy and gets me every single time.

HB: What’s something surprising about you?

JE: I co-own a couple Pilates studios with a good friend of mine and part of us owning the machines means we have to be trained on how to use them and how to train. I am a certified Pilates instructor. I don’t get to teach that often. My studios are in Louisiana. We’re about to expand it over the summer. I don’t get to teach it that often because the studios are a bit away from me. I only get in maybe twice a year.